Avec's AI Scans Your Emails

Avec, an email app, has introduced a new AI feature that scans emails for deadlines and resurfaces the message on the relevant day. The feature, available for iOS and Gmail users, allows users to swipe left on an email to extract the deadline and bring the message back on the day it matters.

The company, founded by Jonathan Unikowski, previously a product engineer at Replit, has not disclosed where the scanning process takes place, raising privacy concerns. This lack of transparency is particularly notable in the email category, where users expect a high level of privacy.

Avec launched in April with $8.4mn from Lightspeed Venture Partners and Haystack, and has been available to the public for four months. The app is currently only available for iOS and Gmail users, with limited support outside the US and Canada. Unikowski has stated that he cannot guarantee general availability levels of support outside these regions.

The AI feature extracts deadlines from emails and brings the message back on the day it matters. However, the company's failure to publish details on where the scanning process happens has raised concerns. This is particularly relevant given the potential risks of targeted instructions hidden inside a message, which could be used to exploit the AI feature.

## Why it matters The introduction of AI features in email apps raises important questions about privacy and security. As email apps become increasingly sophisticated, users need to be aware of how their data is being used and protected. In this case, the lack of transparency around Avec's scanning process is a concern that needs to be addressed.

The European market, in particular, is affected by the limited availability of the app. Europeans largely cannot test the feature, which is only available for iOS and Gmail users in the US and Canada. Other email apps, such as Proton, have addressed similar concerns by running their writing assistant entirely on the device, providing a higher level of privacy and security for users.

## What happens next As Avec continues to develop its AI feature, it will be important for the company to address the privacy concerns raised by its lack of transparency. Users need to be aware of how their data is being used and protected, and the company needs to provide clear information about its scanning process. With Google also adding agentic features to Gmail, the email app that Avec depends on, the company will need to navigate the evolving landscape of email security and privacy.